Sandeak

This will be our first time to Singapore. This board is full of saavy travelers and I've received some great advice for our trip. I have read many of the posts relating to visiting Singapore. From the posts, I think that we probably want to stay in the Orchard Ave area or down by the Marina (thoughts?) Has anyone had success with booking on Hotwire?

Hotwire has a 4 star for $148 in the Orchard Avenue area (we need 2 rooms for 4 nights in June for the 5 of us). There is a 5 star in the Marina area for $146. Or if anyone knows of an apartment in a good area that will rent for 4 nights, we'd be interested in that. I would love to hear your thoughts/experiences.

Kathie

The problem with Hotwire and Priceline is that you don't know the hotel you are buying until you've paid your money. If their definition of a 5-star was the same as yours, and if their definition of Orchard Road was the same as yours, it might not be such a problem. But in my experience, their star defintions and mine are entirely differnt. And if you look at their maps of areas, they often include places you and I would not consider to be in the named area.

If you aren't too choosy about where you stay, it might be fine.

Take a look at other booking sites like www.agoda.com and www.asiarooms.com both of which tell you the hotels and the prices.

Sandeak

Thanks Kathie.
Where would you recommend staying if LOCATION was #1 on your list?

Kathie

As close as possible to an MRT station. I like the City Hall area, but I've stayed near Orchard Road as well. The Marina area is nice, as long as you are close to the MRT - some locations in the Marina are a long walk from the MRT.

Sandeak

Thanks! Are there any specific hotels you would recommend in those areas?

Sandeak

Also, has anyone stayed at the Albert Court (Village) Hotel?

rkkwan

Betterbidding.com only has one Singapore HW hotel in the database. It's the Intercontinental, and is listed as 5*.

I use HW and PL all the time for hotels in the US, and sometimes for Europe; but haven't seen much good deals in Asia. I am sure I checked the options when I visited Singapore last November, but I ended up booking with my hotel directly.

At least in the US, HW generally rate their hotels half a star over PL. A 3.5* on PL will be 4* on HW.

Geordie

Hotwire is new to Asia / Pacific hotels, I've used it in the US / Canada / London etc but not for Asia

I've used priceline.com.hk for Singapore and I got the JW Marriott on Orchard Road for around US$75 per night + taxes around 3 years ago

The Hong Kong priceline is easier to work than the US version as it does not limit the number of bids on a particular area, but you do have to enter a HK$ price, roughly HK$7.80 to US$1

I've never been disappointed with either Hotwire or Priceline in the quality of the hotels, location and price, in fact I cannot think of an occasion when I did not get the hotel I thought I would get.

Sandeak

Geordie - that's a great price for the Marriott. rkkwan - how can you tell it's the Intercontinental on Hotwire? I know there is a way to figure it out but I don't know what that is.

Sandeak

Thanks for all your help.
I did book with Hotwire and got the Intercontinental for $144 a night for 6/25-6/29.
We will probably have to pay and additional $24.50 for the extra person in one room (got 2 rooms for 3 adults/2kids) but we'll sort that out when we get there.

The location and reviews of this hotel look very promising.

Geordie

Congrats, I think you've got yourself a great deal.

I like and have used asiarooms.com many times before, especially for Thailand and Malaysia, but looking at their website, the same hotel for 3 people would be $320 per night, you've made a substantial saving (provided you don't need to cancel)

yankeetraveller

Hi Sandeak,

I'm going to BKK and Singapore in Sept 2012 and I'm looking for hotels, would you mind sharing how you figured out the hotel you were bidding for was the Intercontinental? $144 is a great price.

Thanks

lcuy

Yankeetrav- you can go to sites like better bidding and they will tell you which hotels have been won in the past. This gives you a pretty good idea, but it is not guaranteed. HW or PL can "award" you any hotel they like.

Some cities are easier to guess than others..If you bid at Priceline for a 4 star at Boston's Logan Airport, you will get the Hilton or the Hyatt, because they are the only 4 stars there. In a city like Singapore where there are tons of similar hotels, in much less distinct areas, you are taking more of a risk.

The Singapore IC is tricky in that they charge you $30 for any guest over ONE. Yep, if you reserve a double room -even through the IC directly- you will be charged an additional $30 + tax for the second person. I really like the hotel, but I found it irritating to pay extra to share a bed with my spouse.

yankeetraveller

Hi Icuy,

Thank you for the tip. I'm travelling to Bangkok and the Philippines and would like a short trip to Singapore I'm trying to figure out if I can afford it, I want to spend about $150/night figures crossed.

Thanks again.

lcuy

I got some gretta last minute prices on Agoda.com for my last trip to Sing. The M was !*)+ one day, $126 the next. Same with Albert Court, where I got a nice room for $129.00. I was travelling solo and not in the mood for the IC. Both were very satisfactory hotels, especially for the price.

lcuy

Boy, you can tell I typed that last response on my phone, can't you?

I got some great last-minute prices on Agoda.com for my last trip to Sing. The M was $182 one day, so I waited till the next day and was able to book my night for $126.

qwovadis

Use priceline and hotwire.com great value.
Betterbidding.com details hotel you will get.
Last for me bid priceline got the Raffles Orchard Rd
$55 GREAt deal so go for it. Use hotwire.com good deals
like that also Sheraton Roma $59 for me last May.

Kathie

Note that even better bidding can not guarantee which hotel you will get, but they do have good info on the hotels you are likely to get.

I can't imagine what qw is talking about getting "Raffles Orchard Rd" for $55. Raffles is not, of course, on Orchard Road. And THE Raffles does not show up on places like Priceline or Hotwire. He might be referring to Raffles the Plaza, which is above Raffles City Shopping Center, but changed names 4 or 5 years ago to the Fairmont. So take his bid prices with a goodly helping of salt.

yankeetraveller

Thanks everyone, I'm not leaving until Sept so I have time to check. I love how people are so helpful in Fodors!

Do you have any suggestions for cooking classes in Singapore?